


The Hunt

by Xemriss



Category: Flight Rising, Original Work
Genre: M/M, Minor Character Death, Tuchariin Okull
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-31
Updated: 2018-10-17
Packaged: 2019-09-20 00:31:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 1,687
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17012100
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xemriss/pseuds/Xemriss
Summary: A taste of how Tuchariin Okull quietly handles some of their problems. (Tuchariin's first arc!)





	1. A Vow

**Author's Note:**

> Unless otherwise stated, dragons are in humanoid form.

**[Xilu](http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=2956259)** stood a safe distance away from the cliff’s edge. The sky was a dark, ominous grey; the flurry of snow that preceded the approaching blizzard twirled and danced from the wind, succeeded with distracting him from the issue at hand. If it kept on track, it’d reach  _Tuchariin_  before dark.

The overwhelming peacefulness convinced him to tug his hood down, and both sets of eyes slid closed as he tilted his head back. He had no qualms about the cold thanks to the heat that coursed through his veins; the furs that lined the inside of his armor was more for comfort.

Ice reminded him of his origin: Plague. It was harsh and often unrelenting, yet beautiful and rewarding.

The sound of familiar footsteps crunching through the snow interrupted his thoughts, and he pulled his hood back up out of habit before turning.

 **[Peryite](http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=43054969)** , his lover, and, arguably, the most important mage of the clan, looked his usual frail and under-dressed self, but his steps didn’t waver against the approaching storm.

Xilu smiled at him in greeting, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “They’re on the way,” he guessed.

Slightly shorter, Peryite stopped when he was within arms’ reach. His tone was professional, yet held a softness that was reserved only for him when they were alone. “I’d say that she’s refusing to cooperate with  **[Seramune](http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=43444219)**  any further, but one has to have  _attempted_  to cooperate, first.”

Xilu nodded, watched the flakes around them gradually become heavier until the sound of more footsteps reached his ears.

Seramune and  **[Falaeron](http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=43625575)**  flanked the one in question, didn’t hesitate as they lead her past the pair that was waiting. They forced the Ridgeback to her knees near the edge, then stepped back to give Xilu and Peryite room.

The wind abruptly picked up as Xilu moved first, crouched in front of her. “Where–” Displeasure flicked across his face when she spat at him, didn’t miss how Seramune stiffened in the corner of his eye. Glad that her haste had caused the retaliation to be aimed too low, he started again. “Where are the others?”

The Ridgeback barked out a dry laugh, struggled against the rope bonds around her wrists. “And curse them with the same fate? Go fuck yourself.”

Knowing they were at a stalemate, Xilu clenched his jaw in frustration and rose, motioned for Peryite to approach. He stayed by the mage’s side, placed a hand on his shoulder after Peryite knelt in front of her. Though the pair had done this countless times before, Xilu’s grip tightened as he felt his magic be siphoned faster than his instincts liked.

“We’ll find them,” Xilu promised the Ridgeback as Peryite firmly cradled her face in his hands, signaling that he was ready. “Their deaths won’t be as merciful.”

The glare directed at Xilu became permanent as Peryite flash-froze her.

A long beat of silence hung between the four. Xilu helped Peryite to his feet, protectively slid an arm around his waist, and led him the way they had come. He glanced between his guards as they passed. “Take care of the sculpture, please.”

He felt Peryite lean into him as they began the relatively short trek home.


	2. Plans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Xilu and Peryite share a moment and discuss the near future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unless otherwise stated, characters are in humanoid form.

**[Xilu](http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=2956259)** greeted brothers  **[Shial](http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=31823498)**  and  **[Phaera](http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=31823496)**  as he and **[Peryite](http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=43054969)** stepped over Tuchariin’s threshold and out of the blizzard. The pair stopped just long enough to brush loose snow off themselves, then continued deep into the glacier.

Other than  **[Iica](http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=22273854)** , who was presumably asleep on one of the couches with his familiar, Lea, a Blazing Goblin, the common area was vacant. Lea watched them as they passed without disturbance.

Xilu unnecessarily scooped Peryite into his arms as soon as the door to their room was closed, carried him the short distance to the bed and set him down. He gave an amused huff through his nose when Peryite’s hold refused to release from around his neck.

“Lay with me a moment.”

Xilu joined him without hesitation. He tucked his lover against his side as if the bed was too small, buried his nose in Peryite’s soft hair and closed his eyes. The vast world outside their room was forgotten, until –

“Tell me your thoughts,” Peryite said. He shifted just enough to prop his head up with his arm, idly stroked Xilu’s jawline with a thumb.

“I hate making you do that,” Xilu started, referencing how they had left the Ridgeback on the cliff.

Peryite hummed in disagreement, fingertips dancing up the side of Xilu’s face to massage his temple. “You don’t make me do anything,” he corrected, smiling to himself as Xilu wordlessly leaned into his touch. “I, on the other hand, have  _you_  wrapped around my finger.”

The corners of Xilu’s mouth twitched upward in agreement, murmured, “I’m wrapped around more than just your finger.”

“I was being nice,” Peryite teased, brushing his lips against Xilu’s cheek. They tingled from the heat.

“Her capture must’ve been on purpose, to allow the rest of her group a headstart.”

“Do you think the blizzard’s their doing?”

Xilu gave a half-hearted shrug. Despite the topic, Peryite could sense his body beginning to relax.

“What do you plan to do next?”

“Brief the guards, send out a tracker. Hope the storm doesn’t terribly hinder the search.” He paused, both sets of eyes fluttering open to lovingly gaze at Peryite. “Put this behind us as soon as possible so we can focus on more important matters.”

The reminder that he was to officially become recognized as Xilu’s mate made Peryite’s stomach flip. Though he wanted to prolong the moment, he kept his kiss chaste. “Go on. I’ll be here.”


	3. Mapped

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Xilu meets with Shadow to find the wanted dragons' location.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unless otherwise stated, all characters are in humanoid form.

By the time **[Shadow](http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=43065755)** joined him, **[Xilu](http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=2956259)** had been in the meeting room for the better part of an hour — since  **[Peryite](http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=43054969)**  sent him away with a kiss — studying the familiar map of Tuchariin’s territory.

The male’s dark form seemed to slowly materialize from wisps of purple across from Xilu. He casually leaned his forearms on the table, his curtain of long, unbound wine-colored hair partially obscured his face as both sets of green eyes flicked around the map. “It’s a lot bigger than it looks,” he marveled.

“Yes.”

“Humbling.”

Xilu didn’t respond, watched as his Tracker settled in to literally work his magic.

Shadow smiled to himself, the chains that adorned his clothes lightly jingling with even the slightest of twitches. He leaned all his weight on his right arm to free up his left, spoke to the beat of his fingers as they walked towards the red circle that indicated where the Ridgeback had been captured. “This – is – where – the – bitch – let – her – self – be – caught…” Green ribbons of magic swirled around his hand as he tapped his claw over the spot in thought, then used it to idly trace invisible circles around the red one before abruptly sliding his finger a few inches to the left.

“This is the direction she came from…” Shadow continued, splaying his hand. His body stilled for a long moment as he concentrated, his second set of eyes closed as the main set slowly scanned the detailed parchment.

“The snow hinders as much as it helps,” he murmured, hand sliding wide to the right. It seemed to aimlessly wander a densely wooded area before abruptly coming to a halt. The magic around his limb dissipated.

Despite witnessing first-hand, countless times, that Shadow had  _never_  been wrong, Xilu could only let himself believe that the male’s purring was in premature triumph. The chains’ sharp jingling emphasized his excitement as he straightened up, claw rapidly tapping.

“Here,” Shadow confirmed, grin proud and toothy when he caught Xilu’s gaze. “They’re here.”

Xilu turned his attention to where Shadow had pointed out, pursed his lips in discontent and sighed. “Not for long, regardless of who gets to them first.”

“We  _could_  leave them as an offering to the tall one with pretty antlers. I’m sure it’s hungry. Hunting  _can_  be difficult when it snows, and for a short time after. Everything gets so quiet…”

As much as that  _seemed_  like a good trade off now, Xilu shook his head. When he raised it to thank Shadow, he realized the male had already left.


	4. Robbed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Xilu takes the discovery as an insult.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unless otherwise stated, characters are in humanoid form.

**[Xilu](http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=2956259)** _knew_  what the sight that greeted him while he descended meant, yet refused to let himself begin to accept it. **  
**

He was quickly consumed by a bright, glowing red light as soon as all four of his paws touched down. With fluid, practiced ease, it faded as he rapidly shrunk and reshaped into his much smaller biped form.

The blizzard hadn’t dropped nearly as much snow as expected. Xilu easily strode forward towards the small clearing in the pine trees that had been indicated on the map the day before — unsurprisingly,  **[Shadow](http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=43065755)**  had been right.

Pink, dark blue, and yellow-colored, vibrant blood was stark against the snow; splattered and mixed like a painter had haphazardly attempted something new. He knew from personal experience, and from the number of dragons he had been looking for, that the sheer amount of fluids here assuredly meant that none of them had survived.

Xilu pursed his lips, tugged his hood back and began a slow, full turn where he stood as **[Seramune](http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=43444219)** landed and shifted forms. Using both sets of eyes, he scanned for any signs of life, of a body, of a  _lead_.

There was none. Whatever had attacked was already long gone, and so were  _his_  kills.

His lips curled back as a sharp hiss of frustration escaped him. The heavy weight that stubbornly sat in his chest finally dropped to his stomach from disappointment. He had been so close. “ _Fuck_.”

He caught his guard’s inexpressive gaze, closed his eyes and huffed as he forced himself to remain in control — was glad  **[Peryite](http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=43054969)**  wasn’t here to see him like this, glad that Seramune wouldn’t tell.

“The threats have been taken care of,” Seramune stated with finality. He was glad she didn’t bring attention to his almost-outburst.

Xilu simply nodded, though he didn’t feel relieved or triumphant. “I have a Joining to plan,” he said, turning on his heel to return home.


End file.
